In addition to a disturbing tendency to develop several mental conditions, like depression, writers are also likely to develop physical problems as well. The object of this post is to introduce some of these problems and ways to avoid them.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Occurs when a nerve in the wrist is compressed because of swelling in the nerve, the tendons or both. One of the things that can cause the symptoms of the syndrome is excessive repetitive movement (such as prolonged typing.)

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome – Like carpal tunnel syndrome it is caused by the compression of the nerve, but in this case the nerve is located close to the elbow. Like carpal tunnel syndrome it can also cause pain in the hand and arm.

Not every character is running around a world with convenient chemically created pills and drug stores on every corner. Before popping pills became common, and even now in many fantasy worlds, the best medicine for whatever may ail you came from the forests and fields. Here are some common herbs used in literature and real life. This list is for reference purposes only.

Chamomile – The flower heads can be used to help relieve indigestion, colic, anxiety, and skin inflammations.

Feverfew – The flowers and leaves of this plant can help with headaches and migraines, arthritis, and some skin conditions. Has also been used to treat tooth aches, insect bites, stomach aches and more.

Sage – This plant can be used to help with mouth and throat inflammations.

Comfrey – Treats bruises and sprains.

Yarrow – Helps reduce inflammation.

Barberry – Used to treat scurvy, skin and gastro-intestinal ailments.

Bilberry – This plant has been used at various times to prevent night blindness, treat stomach cramps, diabetes, and diarrhea, as well as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and bruising.

Catnip – This herb isn’t just used to make cats tweak out, but also for coughs, bruises, restlessness, upset stomach, colic, colds, fever allergies, and sometimes as a mild sedative (at least for people).

Everyone likes to be smarter. Here are some websites with free brain exercises to help get your mind in gear and keep it razor sharp.

Brain Metrix I haven’t played all the games on this website, but the ones I did play were a little addictive. The games on this website work best with a mouse, rather than a laptop touch pad.

Increase Brain Power This link will take you to directly to the brain exercises page, but there are helpful tips throughout. The website seems to be simply advice and techniques you can use in your everyday life, rather than games like the first one. They do have some links to sell merchandise, but they are unobtrusive and the site as a whole is free.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This article is just to be used as general information. You should consult a doctor if you are planning to change your diet (or take pills) especially if you have a medical condition.

Antioxidants – Antioxidants help us get rid of free radicals that are formed by cells using oxygen. These free radicals can damage our body in a variety of ways such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Common antioxidants are vitamins A, C, and E.

Hypervitaminosis – This simply refers to the high storage levels of certain vitamins in the body. It usually stems from supplement intake and can produce toxic symptoms. The exact nature of those symptoms depend on the vitamin that is in question.

Essential Vitamin/Nutrient – Essential vitamins/nutrients are required for your body to work properly, but cannot be created in adequate amounts (or sometimes not at all) by your body. Because of this, these vitamins are normally ingested through either diet or supplements. There is quite a list, but if you are interested you can find more info here.

Carbohydrates – A carbohydrate is simply a type of molecule. Normally in a nutrition sense it refers to either starch or sugars. No carbohydrate is considered an essential nutrient, but it is recommended that they be used a partial source of energy. Good carbohydrates can be absorbed slowly by our body and avoid sudden high blood sugar levels. These are carbs with high levels of fiber, and come from sources such as whole grain and fresh fruits. Bad carbs do the opposite and are usually found in refined and processed foods.

Amino acids – Amino acids are what proteins (the building blocks of cells) are made of and nine are considered essential for humans. There are also some that are considered essential only for certain age groups or conditions. There are around 80 amino acids in nature, but humans only use about 20 of these in our biological functions.